WAKISO, UGANDA | First responders to the recent fire incident in Kigoogwa town have expressed their horror at the event and criticized the police for their delayed response.
On Tuesday, a fuel tanker with registration number UAM 292Q overturned while traveling from Kampala to Gulu, igniting a devastating fire in Kigoogwa.
At least 11 people lost their lives at the scene, with ten bodies unrecognizable due to severe burns. Six additional victims later succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.
As of Friday, the police had yet to clear the wreckage of the fuel tanker, leaving the community in shock and mourning.
Despite Kigoogwa being just 22 kilometers from Kampala, witnesses reported that police assistance arrived over an hour late, leaving local responders to manage the situation.
Mark Kizito, a builder, rushed to the scene after the explosion, searching for his friend Ahmed Ssemwezi, who was among those siphoning fuel from the overturned tanker. Kizito joined other volunteers in searching nearby homes for victims, ultimately saving seven people. Unfortunately, Ssemwezi was found with severe injuries and died shortly after reaching Rubaga Hospital.
Kizito lamented that had the ambulances and police arrived sooner, many more lives could have been saved. He and others attempted to extinguish the flames using water collected from tanks, but the fuel spread too widely to contain.
David Luyima, another responder, recounted how smoke engulfed homes near the accident site, forcing them to break in to rescue trapped residents. Tragically, one woman died soon after being rescued from the smoke.
Ivan Kintu provided free transportation to several injured individuals, taking them to Bombo General Hospital and other facilities. He described the scene as harrowing, with victims suffering from severe injuries all over their bodies, noting, “It’s my first time witnessing such devastation. This tragedy will haunt us for a long time.”
Robert Kakaire, who was near the site during the incident, hesitated to siphon fuel after recalling a similar disaster in Bugiri district. Instead, he focused on moving motorcycles away from the fire to prevent further loss.
Many responders are still grappling with trauma from the incident, having witnessed people they rescued die shortly after. Residents near the scene fled their homes, some of which were destroyed in the blaze.
According to Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango, the accident resulted in the deaths of 17 individuals, with 21 more suffering from serious injuries at Kiruddu Hospital. The police are currently holding ten bodies, severely burned and unidentifiable, at Mulago National Referral Hospital.
Onyango claimed that the police, supported by the Uganda People’s Defense Forces, responded swiftly, deploying fire brigade trucks, patrol cars, ambulances, and Red Cross volunteers to manage the emergency.
